Another winter storm system pounded the eastern San Juan Mountains, and affected the other southern Colorado mountain ranges. Northern El Paso County was also hard hit with heavy snow and wind.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS PUB wrote it up.
Another winter storm system pounded the eastern San Juan Mountains, and affected the other southern Colorado mountain ranges. Northern El Paso County was also hard hit with heavy snow and wind. Reported snow totals included...6 inches near Monument and 8 inches around Black Forest (El Paso County)...9 inches near Cripple Creek (Teller County)...10 inches at Monarch Pass (Chaffee County)...12 inches at Palmer Lake (El Paso County) and 29 inches at the summit of Wolf Creek Pass (Mineral County).
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Pueblo, CO wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 14, 3:38 AM MST, 3 hours 22 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 338 AM MST MON DEC 14 2015 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 331 AM MST MON DEC 14 2015 ...HEAVY SNOW FOR THE SAN JUANS TODAY... ...SOME SNOW AND WIND FOR THE PALMER DIVIDE BY TUESDAY MORNING... A TRANSITORY SHORT WAVE RIDGE WILL QUICKLY MOVE THROUGH ERN CO THIS MORNING. THEN...THE UPPER LOW CURRENTLY OVER THE GREAT BASIN WILL MOVE INTO WRN CO AND TRACK THROUGH CENTRAL CO TONIGHT. TEMPS OVER THE PLAINS TODAY SHOULD BE RELATIVELY MILD AS H7 TEMPS GET ABOVE ZERO FOR A SHORT PERIOD THIS MORNING. EXCEPTION WILL BE OVER THE EXTREME SE CORNER WHERE SNOWPACK WILL LIMIT TEMPS WELL BELOW GUIDANCE. BUT SHOULD SEE 40S FOR THE MOST PART BY EARLY AFTERNOON. SNOW WILL GRADUALLY RAMP UP OVER THE CONTDVD TODAY...ESPECIALLY OVER THE SW MTNS...WHERE SW FLOW AHEAD OF THE TROUGH WILL FAVOR OROGRAPHIC SNOW ACCUMS. HAVE DECIDED TO ISSUE ADVISORIES FOR MOST OF THE CONTDVD...WHERE ANYWHERE FROM 3 TO AS MUCH AS 8 INCHES OF SNOW COULD FALL BY TUE. WILL CONVERT OUR WATCH TO A WARNING FOR THE ERN SAN JUANS. SNOW AMOUNTS LOOK BORDERLINE THERE FOR WARNING CRITERIA...BUT THE ERN SAN JUANS ALWAYS DO PRETTY WELL WITH MODERATE SW FLOW...AND WITH A FEW FLAGS OF 50KT H7 WIND OVER THE FOUR CORNERS THIS MORNING...THIS EVENT SHOULD BE NO EXCEPTION. EXPECT 8 TO 12 INCHES FOR THE SAN JUANS. WINDS WILL ALSO CREATE POTENTIAL FOR BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW...ESPECIALLY THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SNOW RATES SHOULD LIGHTEN UP A BIT BY TUE MORNING. COLD FRONT FROM THIS SYSTEM SHOULD HIT THE PALMER DVD BY 09-12Z TUE MORNING. WINDS DO NOT LOOK PARTICULARLY STRONG WITH THE FRONT. THERE HAS BEEN GOOD MODEL AGREEMENT ACROSS THE BOARD IN KEEPING THE BULK OF THE SNOW OVER ERN CO NORTH OF OUR AREA. BEST SHOT OF SNOW WITH THE FRONT WILL BE OVER TELLER COUNTY AND NRN EL PASO...WHERE UP TO AN INCH OF SNOW COULD FALL BY SUNRISE TUE. THIS SYSTEM IS NOT LOOKING ALL THAT IMPRESSIVE FOR OUR CWA E OF THE CONTDVD...UNLESS THE STORM TRACKS CONSIDERABLY FARTHER TO THE SOUTH THAN CURRENT FORECASTS INDICATE. AND THAT IS NOT LOOKING ALL THAT LIKELY AT THIS POINT. GIVEN THE EARLY TUE TIMING...WILL HAVE TO KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON THE POTENTIAL FOR COMMUTE DISRUPTION OVER MONUMENT HILL AND ALONG HWY 24. OTHER AREAS OVER THE PLAINS NOT LIKELY TO SEE ANYTHING THROUGH 12Z TUE...BUT WILL MAINTAIN VERY LOW POPS NORTH OF HGWY 50 FOR THIS PERIOD. ROSE .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 331 AM MST MON DEC 14 2015 THE MOST ACTIVE WEATHER FOR THIS LONG TERM DISCUSSION PERIOD WILL OCCUR TUESDAY MORNING. AS DISCUSSED IN THE SHORT TERM DISCUSSION...A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REGION TUESDAY MORNING. THIS FRONT IS ASSOCIATED WITH A STRONG STORM THAT WILL MOVE GENERALLY EAST ACROSS CENTRAL COLORADO. THIS CURRENT FCST TRACK IS A BIT TOO FAR NORTH FOR OUR PLAINS TO SEE MUCH IN THE WAY OF SIGNIFICANT PRECIP...BUT THE POTENTIAL EXIST FOR 2...MAYBE 3 INCHES OF SNOW TO OCCUR ACROSS THE PALMER DVD. BEST CHANCE OF ACCUM SNOW ON THE PALMER DVD APPEARS TO BE OVER NE EL PASO COUNTY AS PER THE SIMULATIONS. SOME SNOW SQUALLS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE SOUTHERN MTNS EARLY TUESDAY MORNING...AND A FEW OF THESE SHOWERS COULD AFFECT THE REST OF THE I-25 CORRIDOR REGION DURING THE MORNING HOURS. GUSTY NW WINDS WILL OCCUR OVER THE PLAINS AND MTNS ON TUESDAY...AND IT WILL BE QUITE COOL. OVERALL...TUESDAY IT GOING TO BE A COLD AND RAW DAY OVER THE REGION. WITH NW FLOW CONTINUING ALOFT...SNOW WILL CONTINUE OVER THE CENTRAL MTNS TUESDAY...AND HAVE EXTENDED THE SNOW ADVISORY UNTIL 00Z WED FOR THIS REGION. IF THIS STORM SHOULD TRACK A BIT FARTHER SOUTH THAN CURRENTLY INDICATED BY THE GUIDANCE...THEN PARTS OF THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS...ESPECIALLY N OF US-50...COULD SEE A BETTER CHANCE OF WIND DRIVEN SNOW. PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR LATEST UPDATES REGARDING THIS EVENT. TUESDAY NIGHT WILL BE QUITE COLD ACROSS THE FCST AREA. EXPECT LOW TEMPS MAINLY IN THE TEENS ACROSS THE PLAINS WITH POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE SINGLE DIGITS ACROSS THE VALLEYS AND MTNS. WEDNESDAY INTO THURSDAY... NW FLOW ALOFT WILL CONTINUE WITH A COUPLE OF DISTURBANCES MOVING ACROSS THE REGION. THIS WILL KEEP SNOW SHOWERS GOING ACROSS THE C MTN REGION....WITH A FEW MORE INCHES OF SNOW LIKELY. IT WILL REMAIN COLD ACROSS THE AREA WITH HIGHS IN THE 30S TO AROUND 40 ON THE PLAINS AND 20S IN THE VALLEYS. FRIDAY INTO THE WEEKEND... EXCEPT FOR SOME SNOW SHOWERS ALONG THE CONTDVD...EXPECT DRY AND WARMER CONDITIONS ACROSS THE AREA. MAX TEMPS WILL RETURN INTO THE 50S TO AROUND 60 ON THE PLAINS. LOOKING BEYOND THE WEEKEND...WEATHER LOOKS TO BE ACTIVE NEXT WEEK AS A SERIES OF PACIFIC STORMS MOVE EAST ACROSS THE WEST. \/HODANISH && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z TUESDAY MORNING) ISSUED AT 331 AM MST MON DEC 14 2015 MDT TO HEAVY SNOW IS EXPECTED OVER THE CONTDVD TODAY AND THIS EVENING. THE TAF SITES SHOULD REMAIN VFR THROUGH THE NEXT 24 HOURS. A SCT SHSN CANNOT BE RULED OUT OVER THE SAN LUIS VALLEY TONIGHT...BUT SHOULD NOT SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT KALS. A COLD FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS APPROACHING STORM WILL MOVE THROUGH KCOS PROBABLY BETWEEN 09 AND 12Z TONIGHT. WINDS WILL STRENGTHEN FROM THE NORTH BEHIND THE FRONT AND COULD GUST IN THE 30 KT RANGE AT KCOS BY TUE MORNING. CHANCE OF SN AT KCOS SHOULD REMAIN VERY LOW UNTIL THE FRONTAL PASSAGE...THEN WILL BE IN THE 30-40 PERCENT RANGE TUE MORNING. ROSE && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM NOON TODAY TO NOON MST TUESDAY FOR COZ066. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM NOON TODAY TO NOON MST TUESDAY FOR COZ068. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM NOON TODAY TO 5 PM MST TUESDAY FOR COZ058-060. && SHORT TERM...ROSE LONG TERM...HODANISH AVIATION...ROSE
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 630 AM MST MON DEC 14 2015 COZ058>089-093>099-151330- WESTERN MOSQUITO RANGE/EAST LAKE COUNTY ABOVE 11000 FT- LEADVILLE VICINITY/LAKE COUNTY BELOW 11000 FT- EASTERN SAWATCH MOUNTAINS ABOVE 11000 FT- WESTERN CHAFFEE COUNTY BETWEEN 9000 AND 11000 FT- CENTRAL CHAFFEE COUNTY BELOW 9000 FT- WESTERN MOSQUITO RANGE/EAST CHAFFEE COUNTY ABOVE 9000 FT- SAGUACHE COUNTY WEST OF CONTINENTAL DIVIDE BELOW 10000 FT- SAGUACHE COUNTY EAST OF CONTINENTAL DIVIDE BELOW 10000 FT- LA GARITA MOUNTAINS ABOVE 10000 FT- UPPER RIO GRANDE VALLEY/EASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS BELOW 10000 FT- EASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS ABOVE 10000 FT- DEL NORTE VICINITY/NORTHERN SAN LUIS VALLEY BELOW 8500 FT- ALAMOSA VICINITY/CENTRAL SAN LUIS VALLEY BELOW 8500 FT- SOUTHERN SAN LUIS VALLEY- NORTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS BETWEEN 8500 AND 11000 FT- NORTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 11000 FEET- SOUTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS BETWEEN 7500 AND 11000 FT- SOUTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 11000 FT- NORTHWESTERN FREMONT COUNTY ABOVE 8500 FT- WESTERN/CENTRAL FREMONT COUNTY BELOW 8500 FT- WET MOUNTAIN VALLEY BELOW 8500 FEET- WET MOUNTAINS BETWEEN 6300 AND 10000 FT- WET MOUNTAINS ABOVE 10000 FT- TELLER COUNTY/RAMPART RANGE ABOVE 7500 FT/PIKES PEAK BETWEEN 7500 AND 11000 FT-PIKES PEAK ABOVE 11000 FT- CANON CITY VICINITY/EASTERN FREMONT COUNTY- NORTHERN EL PASO COUNTY/MONUMENT RIDGE/RAMPART RANGE BELOW 7500 FT- COLORADO SPRINGS VICINITY/SOUTHERN EL PASO COUNTY/RAMPART RANGE BELOW 7400 FT-PUEBLO AND VICINITY/PUEBLO COUNTY BELOW 6300 FT- WALSENBURG VICINITY/UPPER HUERFANO RIVER BASIN BELOW 7500 FT- TRINIDAD VICINITY/WESTERN LAS ANIMAS COUNTY BELOW 7500 FT- CROWLEY COUNTY-LA JUNTA VICINITY/OTERO COUNTY- EASTERN LAS ANIMAS COUNTY-WESTERN KIOWA COUNTY- EASTERN KIOWA COUNTY-LAS ANIMAS VICINITY/BENT COUNTY- LAMAR VICINITY/PROWERS COUNTY-SPRINGFIELD VICINITY/BACA COUNTY- 630 AM MST MON DEC 14 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL...EAST CENTRAL...SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT ANOTHER WINTER STORM WILL BEGIN MOVING INTO COLORADO TODAY. THIS STORM WILL BRING HEAVY SNOW TO THE EASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS...WITH 8 TO 12 INCHES OF SNOW POSSIBLE BY TUESDAY MORNING. THE REST OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS COULD SEE AMOUNTS RANGING FROM THREE TO EIGHT INCHES. A COLD FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SYSTEM WILL MOVE THROUGH EASTERN COLORADO LATE TONIGHT...AND COULD BRING SOME LIGHT WIND- DRIVEN ACCUMULATIONS TO THE PALMER DIVIDE AND PIKES PEAK REGION DURING THE PREDAWN HOURS TUESDAY MORNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY ACCUMULATING SNOW ALONG WITH BLOWING SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS NORTHERN EL PASO COUNTY TUESDAY MORNING. COMMUTERS IN THIS AREA SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF HAZARDOUS ROAD CONDITIONS TUESDAY MORNING. IN ADDITION...ACCUMULATING SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS THROUGHOUT THE DAY TUESDAY. SEVERAL INCHES OF ADDITIONAL SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE. MORE SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY. SEVERAL INCHES OF WIND DRIVEN SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER CONDITIONS MEETING REPORTING CRITERIA FOR SPOTTERS WILL BE LIKELY OVER THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TODAY AND TONIGHT...AND WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER NORTHERN EL PASO AND TELLER COUNTIES AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT. 44/HODANISH
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Colorado in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, December 2015
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 606984, 606985.